


Flyers and Favors

by Lecrivaine



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Danny and his friends graduated high school, Frenemies, Ghost King Danny Fenton, Ghost Lairs, Ghost Zone (Danny Phantom), Halfas, One-Shot Collection, Semi-Phantom Planet Compliant, but he doesn't know it, friendly rivals, half-ghosts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28249248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecrivaine/pseuds/Lecrivaine
Summary: It was a simple flyer, more like a letter, really, printed on white computer paper with a dark green border and dark green words.It read,Hey everyone, Phantom here.So if you don't know, these next couple weeks are finals, and then graduation. And so these last couple weeks are REALLY important for me. I need to do well on my tests to get into the engineering NASA-track program at Amity University.So I'm begging you all to please just leave me and the town alone so I can study. PLEASE. I promise after June 9th you can bust out, wreak havoc, wail on me all you want, but PLEASE no earlier. Okay? Do me this one favor?Thanks,Danny PhantomP.S. - This is me asking nicely. If you don't comply, I will simply skip the witty banter, Ghostly Wail your backsides, and leave you in the thermos for the summer. You have been warned.
Relationships: Box Ghost/Lunch Lady (Danny Phantom), Danny Fenton & Danielle "Dani" Phantom, Danny Fenton & Skulker, Danny Fenton & Valerie Gray, Danny Fenton/Sam Manson, Danny Fenton/Valerie Gray, Ember McLain & Danny Fenton, Valerie Gray & Danielle "Dani" Phantom, past-Ember McLain/Skulker (Danny Phantom)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 132





	1. Petition

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So I've recently decided to add some of my favorite/best written stories from my Fanfiction.net account to my new AO3 account. This was written in the summer after binge-watching a childhood classic, Danny Phantom, on Hulu.
> 
> I'm leaving this as an "open" story, where I might add new mostly-connected one-shots to the story as I write them.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Skulker – the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter – examined the piece of paper clutched in his hand, eyebrows furrowed. He glanced up at the swirling green sky, lined with doors. Finding the one he wanted, he jumped up from his island and hovered in the air. Banging on a normal-seeming purple door with his metal-gloved fist, he shouted,

"Technus! Get out here!"

A loud _Thump_ was heard along with a few muttered curses. Then the door flew open, revealing a white-haired, green-skinned ghost – who, while shirtless, at least wasn't covered in suds.

"WHO DARES DISTURB TECHNUS, MASTER OF ALL — oh, it's you," Technus exclaimed. Scowling at his neighbor, he asked, "What do you want, Skulker?"

Skulker thrust the green and white flyer in the other ghost's face. "Have you seen this?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes." Technus took the paper from Skulker. "Yes, I saw the Ghost Boy and his friends spreading them around with that Ghost Zone ship of theirs. Yesterday, I think it was."

Skulker had woken up this morning to see bunches of them piled on his lawn. Annoyed at whoever had dared throw their trash into his lair, but also curious, he'd read it immediately. It was a simple flyer, more like a letter, really, printed on white computer paper with a dark green border and dark green words.

It read,

_Hey everyone, Phantom here._

_So if you don't know, these next couple weeks are finals, and then graduation. And so these last couple weeks are REALLY important for me. I need to do well on my tests to get into the engineering NASA-track program at Amity University._

_So I'm begging you all to please just leave me and the town alone so I can study. PLEASE. I promise after June 9th you can bust out, wreak havoc, wail on me all you want, but PLEASE no earlier. Okay? Do me this one favor?_

_Thanks,  
_ _Danny Phantom_

_P.S. - This is me asking nicely. If you don't comply, I will simply skip the witty banter, Ghostly Wail your backsides, and leave you in the thermos for the summer. You have been warned._

Skulker had sneered at the post-scripted threat, but couldn't help but wince at the thought of three months stuck in that blasted thermos. It was incredibly cramped, even more so when Phantom let his enemies pile up for a while.

Now, Skulker crossed his arms. "How ridiculous. As if that whelp is any match for me, the Ghost Zone's GREATEST HUNTER - "

_"What's with all the yelling!? Some of us are trying to sleep here!"_

Another door on the opposite side of Skulker's island opened to reveal Ember, who glared at them. She was dressed in a midnight blue nightgown and sans eyeliner. Another moment, and Kitty's green head – tousled from sleep – poked out of the door frame as well. They must have been having a sleepover or something.

Skulker floated over and showed Ember the flyer. Her glare deepened as he drew closer; they'd still never quite mended fences after their relationship ended. Not that Skulker cared - no matter how often the whelp teased him since he'd discovered Skulker always had Ember's latest song downloaded onto his suit when there was a new release.

Kitty and Ember read Phantom's note. Kitty shrugged, seeming unconcerned, but the fiery-haired pop star turned her glare onto the paper instead.

"What does he think this is, Christmas? What's gotten into that punk, makes him think he can order us around?" Ember seethed.

"Maybe because he's always stuffing us back into the Ghost Zone?" suggested Kitty.

"Or it could be because of You-Know-What," sang Desiree as she faded into existence next to Ember's door. Her presence surprised Skulker – he hadn't thought her lair was so close to his. Then again, the Ghost Zone often shifted and spun according to its own rules, and the genie-ghost was a wanderer by nature anyway.

He scoffed at her answer. "Oh, please. The boy's no king, and, as long as I have anything to say about it, he never will be. Not before he's reached his second century, at least."

Ever since Phantom had defeated Pariah Dark, the King of All Ghosts, in single combat three years ago, dislodging the Crown of Fire, he'd had the strongest, though unofficial, claim to the throne. And sure, he'd had help, from his parents' Ecto-suit, and Vlad Plasmius had been the one to lock Pariah away. But Phantom was the one who'd challenged and fought the old king, and come out of the ordeal alive (or as alive as a half-human, half ghost could be).

And now, any ghost that looked at him could sense the surge of power that lay dormant in the boy, the same as Pariah's though far less malevolent. It would only be unlocked by wearing the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage. It seemed as if Phantom himself was unaware of his inheritance, which in Skulker's opinion was just as well, one of the perks to having your arch-rival be half-human.

None of Phantom's ghostly enemies/occasional allies were about to tell him, either – cluing the boy in that he could command them to heel if he let loose his true power? _No, thank-you._

"Anyway," Skulker began, gesturing to the flyer still clutched in Ember's hand. "What are we going to do about this? Are we going to do the whelp a favor, as he asks?"

"Johnny and I have nothing against him," Kitty said, sounding bored with the conversation. "Besides, he's practically gonna give us free reign if we stay away before his graduation. That's not too hard to do."

"I agree," said a new voice, high-pitched and feminine sounding. Skulker looked over to see the Lunch Lady and the Box Ghost, floating near Klemper's door, hand in hand. Now when had they gotten here? The hunter might have to relocate if the neighborhood got much more crowded. The last thing they needed was for Walker to show up next.

Skulker crossed his arms. "Oh, you're just being nice to him because he finally broke up with that meat-hating Goth girl," he accused.

"What, really? He did?" Ember cried, sounding far too happy at the idea.

Technus, still hanging near his own door, laughed. His next words carried across the distance, "Oh, _please_. Those two break up every time they have an argument! They'll be back together by the end of next week. I still like the Red Huntress girl better, but what can you do?"

Ember clenched her fists at her side as she turned to glare at Technus. Kitty, noticing, giggled.

"Still gonna deny you have a crush on him?" she teased her friend.

Ember whirled around and pushed Kitty back into her lair, eliciting a yelp. The singer then crossed her arms and looked anywhere but at her fellow ghosts, a bluish-green blush on her face.

Skulker sighed. The conversation was not going how he had planned at all. "Come now, we don't necessarily have to go after _him_. There are others we could play with. The Red Huntress, like Technus mentioned, or — ooh, even the Ghost Girl, she'd put up a good fight."

Skulker grinned at the thought of battling Dani-with-an-I Phantom. She was even rarer than her sire, a half-human half-ghost _clone_. Danny Phantom would always be his favorite prey, of course, the first halfa he'd discovered; the first to humiliate him; and – _one day_ – the first whose pelt he'd have hanging by his bed. Only after he'd taken him down would he go after Danielle and turn on Plasmius – no point in wasting a good benefactor while they had a mutual enemy in common, after all.

Ember rolled her eyes at him. "Oh yeah, _uh huh_ , that'd go over _real_ well. If you go after Baby-pop's baby, one, she'll beat you three ways to Sunday, and then when Phantom finds out, he'll lock you up in the thermos for a _year."_

Skulker narrowed his eyes at her. "Do you think so little of me, woman? I am SKULKER, the Ghost Zone's –"

"Greatest hunter, yada yada yada," Ember interrupted. "Remind me what your score card is like against our friendly neighborhood ghost kid? Two thousand to zero?"

"Like yours is any better," Skulker muttered. Ember growled at him but did nothing else, apparently not willing to start a fight this morning.

Skulker finally floated away from his ex-girlfriend's door. "Alright, one last time: I'm going to hunt Phantom this week whether he wants me to or not. Anyone with me?"

There was a beat of silence. Then,

"No," everyone else chorused. Skulker fell backward out of surprise before righting himself.

"Fine!" he declared. " _Excuse me_ for trying to be sociable! See if I try to organize a neighborhood hunt ever again!"

"Yeah, well, don't come crying to us when he beats you," Ember told him, stifling a yawn before heading inside and closing her door. Desiree giggled before flying away.

"Give the boy a break and let him finish high school," the Lunch Lady advised. "Then we can crush him beneath meat piles of DOOM!"

"And boxes," the Box Ghost added. The two looked at each other lovingly before floating off, still hand in hand.

Skulker rolled his eyes and looked over at Technus. "And you, my technologically gifted friend?"

"Ah, yes, I, Technus, master of all technology, will have to pass as well," answered the other ghost. "But when you come back, let's work on some new upgrades, alright?"

The hunter nodded absentmindedly, already shooting off through the Ghost Zone, determined to hunt his prey. Honestly, it was as if the whelp thought Skulker actually _cared_ about his human life events. When would he move into the Zone so that they could have proper fights all the time?

As the entrance to the Fenton portal came closer, Skulker grinned. The whelp was graduating soon, yes? Might as well make this battle one to remember.

He was risking three months in that blasted thermos for it, after all.


	2. Altercation

Danielle knew the instant a ghost showed up. A shiver ran through her body and she gasped, releasing a small blue puff of air.

With a grin, she jumped up from her brown wooden desk and transformed, letting two white lights wash over her body and change her into her ghost form, Dani Phantom. Her shoulder-length black hair (layered with triangle cuts in the back) became white, and a black-and-white jumpsuit replaced her purple pajama shorts and button-up top.

She turned intangible and flew up through the ceiling of her bedroom - created by siphoning off sections of the Fenton family's lab - until she reached her older cousin/brother/creator Danny's room. She poked her head through his floor just in time to see him finish his own transformation into Danny Phantom.

"Hey!" Dani called, startling him and making him jump up into the air. Hovering there, Danny looked over at her.

"What's up, Elle?" he asked. Ever since she had moved in with the Fentons a year ago as their adopted daughter, the family had taken to calling her Elle, Ellie, or Annie to differentiate between her and Danny. Dani didn't mind, but she still introduced herself to new people as Dani-with-an-I, and she would always be Dani Phantom.

"I got this one," she answered Danny. "Go back to studying."

"But - "

"I can handle whoever it is, I promise," Dani insisted. "That's the whole reason you went into the Ghost Zone the other day, right? To make sure they'd leave you alone so you could study?"

"Well, yeah, but -"

"Then study. These exams are really important to you, I know."

Danny lowered himself until he was back on the floor. He glanced over at his desk, which was covered with pencils, textbooks, and loose-leaf paper filled with scientific equations. "I mean...this can wait. You have homework, too, I know. I'll just stay up and -"

Dani sighed loudly and rose up out of the floor. She narrowed her glowing green eyes - the same as Danny's - at him. "Danny. Please. My Pre-Calc homework is not going to determine whether I graduate or get into my dream college program this week. Just let me. Handle. The ghost."

Danny stared at her for a moment, looking torn, before he finally sighed. Twin flashes of light raced up his body, and his eyes turned blue, his white hair - cut shorter and closer to his head than when he was 14 - became black, and his own black and white jumpsuit disappeared to reveal a NASA T-shirt and a pair of blue boxers.

"Alright, you win," he conceded. "Just...be careful. And you'll get me if you need help?"

Dani rolled her eyes. "Yes, _Dad_ , I promise. Now go do you homework!"

Danny chuckled. "Alright, _Mom_." But he waited and watched as Dani pulled out her phone and quickly shot off a text to Valerie, saying the exact same thing she'd told Danny, before turning intangible again and flying through the roof.

Bursting into the night air, Dani took a second to enjoy the rush of flight, before putting herself into a fighting mindset. Looking around at the houses, clearly illuminated by the giant green Fenton Works sign attached to the Fentons' home, Dani couldn't see any signs of a recent ghost attack. No broken windows, no smoking buildings, no screaming people.

But she'd definitely sensed a ghost earlier. Maybe it was something small? Or it was still in the lab? Now that she thought about it, she should have just checked out the lab first, especially since it was right next to her bedroom. But she'd wanted to make sure Danny didn't go after the ghost himself. He'd been super stressed over his final AP Chem and AP Physics tests this week and she had wanted to do him a favor by taking care of any ghostly threats that came through.

Not to mention it would show him and the rest of Team Phantom that she was mature and skilled enough to protect Amity without any of them breathing down her neck. Honestly, she loved her cousin, and Sam and Tucker and Valerie, but sometimes they were way too overprotective. They acted like she hadn't spent over a year living on her own, fighting ghosts and for her own survival. And they had been worse lately; their impending collegehood must have been making them too nostalgic and worried and adult-like.

Dani was about to head back inside, when she gasped, her Ghost Sense alerting her once again. Then, sensing something coming towards her from behind, she dodged to the left - just in time to avoid the grappling hook/claw that zipped by her. It landed in the sidewalk down below, cracking the concrete.

Dani spun around, following the mechanical line up from the hook to the ghost who had fired it. When she saw who it was, she groaned.

"Oh, come on, Skulker? Really? Do you know what time it is?" she demanded.

"Ah, the Ghost Girl. Nice to see you. I'd been planning on hunting your sire, but a fight with you should warm me up nicely!" Skulker exclaimed. He pressed a button on his suit, and the grappling hook shot up from the sidewalk and returned to Skulker with a hissing sound. "And, yes, I know it's late. My apologies. Believe it or not, it's morning right now in the Ghost Zone."

Dani rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Floating higher until she was eye level with Skulker, she prepared her own ecto-blast, green light coiling around her hand. "Also, how many times do I have to tell you, Danny is my _cousin_ , or maybe my brother. He's not my _sire_. That makes him sound like a medieval king or something. It's weird."

Skulker chuckled. "You're more right than you know, child." Then, raising his arm to ready an ecto-energy cannon blast, he added, "Now, enough talk. Let the hunt begin!"

Danielle smirked. "You're on."

She took aim at the center of the robotic suit and launched her ecto-blast. Skulker simply dodged it, and fired his own attack. Danielle turned intangible and let the cannon fire pass right through her. Undeterred, Skulker launched a type of flaming arrow, burning with his signature green-blue fire.

 _I should probably move the fight away from the neighborhood so nothing gets too damaged,_ thought Dani. Dodging the small projectile and flying over near the park, she asked,

"Didn't you get the flyer?"

"Of course I got the flyer. The Ghost Child littered them all over my front lawn!" Skulker exclaimed, shooting out three more rockets from the launcher on his right shoulder.

"And, what, you just decided to ignore it? That's _so_ not cool." Dani reached out her hand and encased the rockets in her ecto-energy, containing their explosions; smoke billowed within the green spheres as she lowered them to the ground.

Dani then flew towards the park, where there would be less people to hurt and less buildings to damage. Skulker chased after her, donning a pair of night-vision goggles, even though there were still street lamps in the park.

"I thought you guys were allies sometimes," Dani added, stopping in mid-air above one of the public fountains. She could hear the water gurgling slightly in its concrete bowl.

"Yes, when the fate of the Ghost Zone is at stake," Skulker answered. He hovered on the opposite side of the fountain, arm outstretched towards her. "The whelp failed to explain in his _flyer_ how him failing a test would be the end of the world. _"_

Dani narrowed her eyes at the hunter. "It'd be the end of _his_ world," she told him. She held up both hands and formed two more ecto-blasts. "What's important to Danny is important to me, so I'm not gonna let you ruin this for him."

"How admirable." Skulker fired another blue laser at her, which she dodged. She released her ecto-blasts, hitting Skulker in the chest. He crashed into a nearby tree, breaking the poor plant in half. When Skulker remained on the ground, Dani hovered closer to him. Placing both hands on her hips, she said,

"You don't plan on following him to college, too, do you? 'Cause that would be even _more_ uncool."

Skulker merely grinned at her from among the wood splinters. "But of course! Where the prey goes, the hunter follows. The whelp doesn't think he can shake me just by going to a different learning institution, does he? How foolish!"

Dani fired another ecto-blast at him. He yelled in pain as it hit, pounding him into the ground. Dani smirked as the dust settled. _That oughta teach him_.

Only to widen her eyes in surprise when she saw that Skulker was no long on the ground. "Wha - ?"

A presence behind her. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see Skulker's grin before he backhanded her, sending her crashing into another tree. Dani groaned as the tree fell, sending a shock wave of pain up her body. Spitting out leaves, she gathered herself, then rose up into the sky.

"Alright, Skulker, not ba - aaahhh!" Dani screamed as a ghost-proof net wrapped around her, knocking her back onto the ground and sending bolts of electricity through her body. She was left panting and jittery once it passed.

"Haha, you underestimated me, didn't you, Ghost Girl?" Skulker crowed as he walked towards her, his metal boots crushing the grass underfoot.

Danielle scrunched her eyes in pain, before opening them and glaring at the ghost hunter. She wriggled in the net, frustration building as she failed to free herself.

Skulker picked up the net and Danielle, holding her as if she weighed nothing. She'd gotten a bit of a growth spurt once she'd turned fourteen, reaching Danny's old height, but Skulker was still much larger than she was. Well, his suit was, at least.

"You know," Skulker began, regarding her thoughtfully, "I've never understood why you cling to human traditions so much. You, Phantom, even Plasmius - you all plan and prepare for human lives, human futures, but why? You're _ghosts_. And sure, lots of my neighbors concoct plans for world domination - even I like the occasional vacation out in the human world. But ultimately, we all belong in the Zone. Even you three."

Dani blinked up at him, surprised by his sudden philosophical demeanor. Even as she huffed and struggled in the net, she couldn't help but agree with him. There were times - when she was flying, high above the earth, or slipping between buildings without a care for the laws of physics, or using her powers to fight ghosts intent on doing evil - she wondered why she wanted to be human. Why did she want to pretend to be an ordinary girl, when there were people like the Guys in White that would capture and dissect her and her cousin the first chance they got? Why should she hide herself in this world, when in the Ghost Zone no one cared that she was part human?

But then...

Then she remembered the look on Danny's face as he taught her how to use her powers to help people. How excited he was to receive the acceptance letter from Amity University, contingent on his grades though it was. The joy and pride Danielle felt when Jack and Maddie welcomed her into their family, ghost powers and all. Going shopping with Jazz, and having her explain things like bras and periods. Hanging out with Tucker, Sam, Danny, and Valerie, listening to them joke around and plan for the future, even as they made Amity Park a safer place.

Dani sucked in a deep breath. "Skulker, you're right," she said. "We _are_ half ghost."

Then, hoping she was right, she transformed. The white rings washed over her, her ghost side tucked away for now, leaving her in all her human glory. And - to her delight - as soon as she was human, Dani fell out of the net.

She landed on her feet, and smiled up at Skulker, who looked confounded. He must have forgotten to use the anti-halfa net instead, or perhaps, like usual, he had underestimated _her_.

"But we're also half human. And so _we_ decide where we belong."

Mid-transformation, Dani jumped up and decked Skulker in the face. The ghost sailed to the left, gouging a trench into the earth as he landed. Before he could get up, Dani unhooked the mini-Fenton Thermos she always kept with her from around her waist and aimed it at the ghost. The thermos' opening shone brightly, its light sucking Skulker up into its metal confines.

"No! No! I'll get you for this, Ghost Girl! You _and_ the whelp!" Skulker thundered, his words becoming quieter and more distorted as he disappeared into the thermos. Dani capped it and twisted firmly, sealing him inside.

The night became quiet once again. Dani surveyed the former battleground, pleased to see that the park had sustained little damage, outside of a few broken trees. Hooking the thermos back onto her belt, she rose into the air and headed home.

Danielle didn't know where she quite fit in yet - in town, in school, in life - but there was plenty of time for her to discover that. Right now, all she wanted was to stay by her family and friends' sides. And if the the price for that was battling a few ghosts and sticking them in Fenton thermoses - _for at **least** six months,_ she thought gleefully, imagining Skulker's misery -

Well, then it was a price she would gladly pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally supposed to be a fun, witty banter-filled battle between Dani and Skulker. But then somehow it became longer, more serious, and existential. Sorry about that, I guess?
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it. Reviews, comments, questions, and suggestions welcome! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!


	3. Invitation (Part One)

Danny Phantom flew through the air at a breakneck speed, arms clasped to his sides. He strained himself forward, ever further, relishing the cool air blasting him in the face for a moment. He wanted to look behind him to see how close his opponent was, but he knew he couldn't afford to turn around now; it would cause him to slow down too much.

So he focused on his end goal: the tallest oak tree in Amity Park's...well...park. At 70 feet tall, with an ever-expanding canopy of branches and a thick, wide outer bark, Danny would recognize it anywhere. If he could just get there he'd be in the clear.

A buzzing sound on his left, closer than ever before. The enemy was catching up. With a last burst of speed and a strangled cry, Danny lurched forward, arm outstretched, reaching for the tree. His hands closed around one of the branches, and he swung himself around it a few times, expending his built-up momentum. After a couple more cycles around the branch, he turned to face his adversary. Breathing hard, he grinned and exclaimed,

"I win again, Valerie! Take _that!"_

Valerie Gray, also known as the Red Huntress, hovered on a black hoverboard a few feet away from the oak tree. She had slowed her own dash to the tree once she saw that Danny had beaten her. She was dressed in her signature red and black battlesuit, composed of ecto-charged nanobots (rewired by Tucker to prevent Vlad Plasmius or Technus from overpowering it). She touched her helmet and it melted away, revealing the scowl on her face and her curly brown hair, pulled back in a high ponytail. She crossed her arms and glared at the Ghost Boy.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Danny. But like it or not, I'm getting closer all the time," Valerie answered, her glare transforming into a smirk. Danny shrugged, unconcerned, and floated down to the ground. Valerie followed, dismissing her hoverboard with a couple taps of her heels, landing softly on the grass.

"Sure, sure, just keep telling yourself that," said Danny. Dusk was setting in, the last of the sunlight fading behind the horizon. That, coupled with the shade of the oak tree, made Danny's glowing green eyes stand out even more.

The night was quiet, aside from the occasional bird call or squirrel scampering up a tree. Snatches of conversation and laughter floated along the air as people headed home for the night. It might have been June, but the longest day of the year was still a week or so away, as was the end of school. Thankfully for Danny, Valerie, and their friends, they had officially graduated high school last week and were no longer slave to the school schedule.

They _did_ , however, still adhere to a town patrol schedule. Ghost attacks in Amity had lessened in the last year or so, but they were still a problem. Danny and his cousin Danielle could usually contain the ones that slipped out of the Fenton portal, but that still left their stronger enemies, and occasionally natural portals in nearby towns or wild areas would open up, allowing random ne'er-do-well ghosts access to the town.

Tonight was Danny and Valerie's turn on patrol. Once high school classes became tougher and the class/patrol workload became harder to manage, Tucker had created an automated shuffler that determined who went on patrol each night, whether they had a partner, and who that partner was. Last night Sam and Tucker kept a lookout; the night before it had been Danielle. Sometimes, when Jazz was home from Columbia University, she would take a shift to alleviate her brother's and his friends' burden.

After making a few loops around town and finding no disturbances, Danny and Valerie had decided to take a break and race each other towards the park. Danny hoped they could be done for the night, since there hadn't been any whiff of ghostly activity.

But then - almost as if the universe had read Danny's mind and wanted to prove him wrong - a shiver rippled down the Ghost Boy's spine and he gasped, emitting a blue wisp of air.

"Ah, man," Danny groaned, before adopting a fighting stance, eyes darting around for the source of his Ghost Sense. Valerie copied him, sliding into a battle-ready pose, body tense.

A familiar female laughter echoed around them, and then Ember McClain faded into view before them. She hovered about five feet off the ground, clutching her purple and electric blue guitar to her chest.

"Wassup, punks," she greeted, grinning wickedly.

Valerie growled in response. "What do _you_ want, ghost?"

Ember's grin faded. Nose turned up, she glanced away from Valerie and looked at Danny instead. "How can you stand to hang out with her, Phantom?" the ghost asked icily. "Three years in and she can't even remember anyone's name."

"I know better than to say _your_ name, you wannabe American Idol," Valerie retorted.

Ember's eyes blazed with anger. _"Wannabe!?"_ She raised her guitar and aimed its neck at Valerie, who raised a red ecto-shield in response.

Before they could engage, however, Danny hovered between them, arms spread wide. "Woah, woah, ladies! Let's calm down a bit, alright? It's such a beautiful summer evening, do we really have to spoil it with fighting?"

"She started it," both Valerie and Ember exclaimed in unison, followed by glaring at each other.

Eventually, though, Ember turned away from the huntress. "But don't worry, Dipstick, I don't plan on fighting you tonight."

Danny brightened at that. Maybe they could actually come to a peaceful resolution for once, and he and Valerie could be done for the night. "Really? So you're just gonna head back to the Ghost Zone now? _Awesome."_

Ember threw her back and laughed. "Ah, you _wish_ , Baby-pop. But I've got free reign tonight 'cause you're not allowed to stop me, remember. You said we could do whatever we wanted as long as we did it after your graduation, right?"

"I...did not say that, actually," Danny responded. Then he frowned. "Well, I mean, I didn't say that _exactly_. I guess the "wreak havoc" part could have been misconstrued..."

Valerie rolled her eyes. "I knew sending that flyer was a bad idea," she muttered.

Danny sighed. He rose up into the air, green ecto-energy surrounding his hands. "Alright, Ember, I'm sorry, but I can't quite let that happen. But I'm sure we can work something out. I guess I do sorta owe you for letting me finish high school first."

"Yeah, Dipstick, you do. And don't worry, I got something special for you right here," the popstar replied, reaching into her pocket. Danny raised his still-glowing hands, while Valerie flipped open a wrist-blaster. They waited, breaths held, watching for Ember to make the first move. Ember pulled her hand out of her pocket and -

\- thrust a piece of paper into Danny's face.

Danny reared back, surprised, his ecto-blasts sputtering into nothingness. He grabbed the paper from Ember and examined it. Printed onto a cream-colored paper, blue and black lettering exclaimed:

**_You're Invited!_ **

_To: Danny Phantom's Graduation Party_

_Where: Ember McLain's lair, the Ghost Zone_

_When: Saturday, 2pm_

_Requirements: You're capable of NOT trying kill the Ghost Boy for a few hours_

_RSVP: Immediately. Note - Party crashers welcome, but you will be forced to clean up afterwards_

The ghost boy looked between the paper and Ember. Ember was looking to the side, arms crossed.

"Well?" she asked, still not looking at him. "Are you going to be there or not?"

"I - I don't understand. You're...throwing me a party?" Danny asked, bewildered. Valerie frowned and snatched the paper from him, eyes widening as she read its contents.

"Well...yeah. I mean. It's a big deal. Graduating high school...not...not everyone does it, you know," Ember said. She glanced at him, a strange bluish-green blush on her face. "And...you've had a rough time with it. Because of all the ghost fighting you do. So, I...yeah. We're throwing you a party."

"Wow. Um. Thanks, Ember," Danny told her. He floated downwards, putting his feet on the ground. He had attended a few graduation parties this summer already - Valerie's, for one, as well as Star's (again, because of Valerie). And he, Sam, and Tucker had had a combined graduation party at Sam's house for all their families - Mr. and Mrs. Manson hadn't been thrilled with the idea, but since Sam had not only graduated high school (something they'd feared their rebellious daughter would have abandoned during one of her moods), but with good grades and plans to go to college as well, they'd indulged her her specific celebratory requests.

Danny had enjoyed those festivities, even if they'd been a little embarrassing, too. But he'd never in a million years thought anyone in the Ghost Zone would throw him a party, especially Ember - and for a human milestone celebration at that. He hadn't even thought the flyer would keep so many of his frenemies away, and yet, he'd had an almost ghost-free last couple weeks of school.

"Hey, Phantom! I asked you a question! The response says immediately, so respond immediately!" Ember snapped, breaking Danny from his reverie. He shook his head to clear it, and saw that she was glaring at him.

With a sheepish smile, Danny answered, "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there. Thanks again, Ember."

The popstar returned his smile. Tension left her body, and she sounded satisfied as she said, "Good. I'll see you there, then."

"Oh, actually," Danny started, looking over at Valerie, "is it alright if some others come, my friends I mean? Since -"

"No!" Ember snarled, her hair lighting up in fury. After a moment it died down, and the bluish-green blush returned. "I - I mean, no. This is - this is a _ghost_ party, that we're throwing for you, halfa. So - ghosts only." A pause, then, "You can bring Danielle, then. But no one else. Got it?"

"Got it," Danny replied, sweat-dropping a little.

"Good. So you're coming. Remember, Saturday at 2 o'clock." Ember leaned in, getting up in Danny's face. Her eyes narrowed as she growled, " _Don't_. Be _late_."

Danny nodded dumbly. Ember pulled back, nodded approvingly, and then jettisoned off, riding on her guitar. Danny watched her go, wondering how he could have offended her this time.

Valerie also watched the ghostly musician leave, a frown on her face. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Danny?" she asked. "Accepting her invitation?"

Danny turned towards her, tilting his head. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you know...it's _Ember_. She's caused you and the town so much trouble over the years."

Danny waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, yeah. But so has practically half the Ghost Zone. It's no biggie. Even if this is some kind of prank or trap or something, it's nothing I can't handle." He gave her a lopsided grin. "Right?"

Valerie's lips quirked up, but she still sighed. "I know you can handle the ghosts, Danny. When you're _fighting_ them, that is. It's just...lately you've settled into this...kinda friendly stalemate, and I'm just worried...I don't want you to get hurt, if they take advantage of your forgiving nature."

She reached out a hand and placed it on Danny's arm, leaning in slightly. Her gaze softened as she looked at him, pale green eyes crinkled in the corners. "I care about you, Danny. You know that."

Danny smiled back at her, warmth spreading through him. He covered her hand with his for a moment, relishing the touch, but then - slowly, hesitantly - he moved it off his arm. He and Sam were officially on - _another_ \- break, but whatever he may or may not be rekindling with Valerie, he wanted to make sure it was something they were both ready for, that it wasn't a rebound or a pre-college summer fling. He wanted to take things slow.

"I know you do, Val. And I appreciate that. And...I hear what you mean. About the ghosts." Danny rubbed the back of his head. Valerie had gotten a lot less fanatical about eliminating ghosts once she'd learned that Vlad Masters was really Vlad Plasmius, and that Danny Phantom was really Danny Fenton. She trusted Danny to make judgement calls on whether or not a ghost needed destroying or simply to be sent back into the Ghost Zone (98% of the time, he decided it was the latter).

But there _were_ times when a more forceful hand was needed. Ghosts could be destructive, whether they meant to be or not. That was why Danny became a superhero in the first place. Why he and Team Phantom did patrols every night. Why Valerie and Danielle had spent last summer on a ghost-hunting road trip, sending ghosts that slipped through natural portals around the country back home.

And maybe Danny had gotten a little cozier with his enemies than ever before, but that wasn't bad, was it? He never let them run wild, never let them hurt anyone. If he turned a blind eye so Kitty and Johnny could have a date, or let Klemper sleep over a few times, what was the harm?

And if this party really was an excuse to ambush him or something - well, then he would just have to remind the Ghost Zone who was the boss.

Danny smiled at Valerie, who still looked concerned. "It's fine, Val. Don't worry about it." He rose up into the air, merging his legs into a wispy tail. "Let's head in for tonight, alright? Sam said we could watch a movie at her house after we finish."

Valerie stared at him for a few more seconds, before she nodded, a reluctant smile on her face. "Yeah. Sounds good."

She put her helmet back on and activated her hoverboard. Danny waited until she was in the air, and then the two of them sped off towards their friend's house.

~~~

Saturday rolled around quickly enough, and at 1:45pm, Danny and Dani stood in front of the Fenton portal.

Dani rocked back and forth on her purple sneakers. She was wearing a dark purple tank top and black shorts, her black hair pulled into a loose ponytail. "I'm so excited! Going to Ember's for a party? This is gonna be so fun!"

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, well, don't get too carried away, alright? Honestly, this _could_ still be a trap."

Dani rolled her eyes. " _Please_. Faking a graduation party and ambushing you is _so_ not Ember's style. Walker's, maybe, but no one else's."

"Yeah, that's what I said." Danny had reassured his friends of the same thing countless times over the last few days.

From one of the workbenches came an angry rattling sound. Both halfas turned to see a white and green Fenton thermos shaking in a glass container. It currently contained Skulker, and probably would for the rest of the summer. Dani had insisted on it, since he'd so blatantly ignored Danny's request to not bother him during finals.

Danielle stuck her tongue out at the thermos, then turned to her cousin. "Come on, let's go already!"

"Alright, alright." Danny chuckled once more. Then, gathering his energy, he exclaimed, "Going Ghost!"

Danielle grinned as two white rings appeared around her cousin, transforming him into Danny Phantom. A second later, she let the transformation wash over her, and then there were two Phantoms standing in the lab - black and white jumpsuits replacing their regular clothes, black hair dyed white and blue eyes now a glowing green.

Danny floated over to the portal opener and pressed his thumb into the DNA scan. A mechanical grating sound was heard, and then the portal opened, revealing the swirling green vortex that led to the Ghost Zone.

Danielle joined Danny in the air, and then both Phantoms flew from one end of the portal to the other, leaving the human world behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do have a Part 2 in mind for this, showing Ember's graduation party, so hopefully that'll be done soon.
> 
> Hope you all stay safe and healthy! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


	4. Celebration (Part Two)

It took Danny and Danielle little time to find Ember's door, floating within the green and purple mass of the Ghost Zone. Skulker's island, as well as Klemper's and Technus' doors, were also nearby.

Danny knocked politely on Ember's blue door. A moment later, it opened to reveal Johnny, a grin on his pale face and a drink in his hand.

"Hey, Phantom! You made it!" he exclaimed. He raised his glass in a kind of salute. "Happy Birthday, kid!"

Danny's lips quirked in amusement. "Thanks, Johnny. But it's not my birthday, it's for my graduation."

"Yeah, whatever. Hey, and little Phantom's here, too! Wassup, Dani?" Johnny and Dani did a fist-bump, and then the biker ghost led the two Phantoms inside.

In the Ghost Zone, almost every ghost had their own lair. Some of them existed out in the open, like Skulker's island or Pariah's Keep, while others were tucked into pocket dimensions within the Ghost Zone behind doors, like Ember's was. The owner of a lair could change its appearance and layout as they wished, with a few restrictions (Klemper, for example, couldn't make his lair a tropical island). Clockwork had once mentioned off-handedly that both Danny and Danielle could create a lair if they wanted. Danny had rejected the idea, but Danielle had been intrigued, going on tours of the Ghost Zone to find her ideal spot.

The inside of Ember's lair was laid out like a concert venue. A long, grassy lawn led up to a large black stage, similar to the one she had created in front of Caspar High School. Tables laden with food and drinks were set to the side - covered with baskets of chips and pretzels, bowls of candy, a fruit platter, and a warmer for fried chicken and hot dogs, among other things. The weather was bright and sunny, perfect for a concert or outdoor party.

Conversation and laughter washed over them. Mingling in front of the stage or by the food tables, were a couple dozen ghosts. Danny knew nearly all of them - Klemper; Kitty; Elastica, Goliath, and Midori from Danny's forced time with Circus Gothica; a few of the younger members of the Far Frozen tribe; Princess Dora; and, towering above them all, Pandora.

Danny floated over to the crowd, and at once the ghosts stopped their conversations to greet him and wish him well. Kitty squealed and threw her arms around his neck and even kissed his cheek, making Danny blush. When she stepped back, grabbing a frowning Johnny's hand, the Far Frozen tribe members gathered Danny is a group hug, squishing him beneath their fur.

Pandora, with a big booming laugh, reached down and lifted Danny out of the yeti-pile and settled him on the palm of her hand.

"Hello, young Phantom!" she exclaimed. "Many felicitations on the completion of your education!"

"Ha, thanks, Pandora," Danny replied, grinning. "For the save, and the congratulations. And it's - really nice you came to this party."

"Of course! The Princess Dorothea and I have been enjoying our conversation immensely. And now the festivities will be even greater, now that you and your cousin are here."

Danny looked down and saw Princess Dora chatting with Dani; at the sound of her name she glanced up and waved at Danny. Danny waved back.

Pandora then set Danny back down on the ground, next to Danielle. No sooner had his ghostly feet touched the grass, however, did a blurring object crash into him and Danielle, sweeping them up into its arms.

"My lord! Lady Dani! How wonderful it is to see you again!"

Danny and Danielle chuckled before phasing out of the other ghost's grip. "Hey, Shade," Danny greeted.

Shade beamed at them with blindly-white teeth. She had light indigo-colored skin, darker blue hair and bright red eyes. Currently she was wearing a long amethyst tunic that would have gone down to her knees if she had legs; instead she'd opted for a ghostly tail.

Danielle threw her arms around the ghost. "I've missed you, Shade! Where have you been? I didn't know you were gonna be here!"

Dani and Valerie, on their cross-country ghost-hunting trip last summer, had run into Shade somewhere in the middle of Ohio. They'd gotten off to a bad start at first, but after a while they'd become friends; Shade had even returned to Amity Park with them before heading home to the Ghost Zone through the Fenton Portal.

Also, after meeting Danny and hearing about his heroics in saving Amity Park and the Ghost Zone, Shade had started referring to him as "lord" and Dani as "lady." It had been fun at first but now it was mildly uncomfortable, but no matter what he said, Shade hadn't stopped.

Shade grinned back at Dani. "Of course! When I heard about Miss Ember's party, I replied right away. I've been doing some exploring in the Ghost Zone, got a little lost, but I'm happy to see you again!"

As Shade and Dani talked, Danny excused himself and floated over to the food bar. He grabbed a hot dog and some chips, placing them on a paper plate, and filled a plastic cup with punch.

While he was there, Johnny strolled over and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Good on you, kid, seriously," he commented, before pouring himself another cup. "High school is _rough_ , man."

Danny shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's not that big a deal. I mean, I woulda done better if I wasn't pulling ghost-fighting all-nighters."

Johnny grinned back at him. "Ain't gonna apologize for that. Chasing you around is one of my favorite past-times." He swallowed some of his drink, then added, "But, hey, you did better than me or Kitty. Or Ember, even. I dropped out before my senior year, and they hadn't finished yet before we all...you know." He jerked a hand across his throat.

Danny sobered at that. It wasn't often his ghostly frenemies mentioned their deaths. Not all deceased spirits ended up in the Ghost Zone, nor was every creature who lived there once human - Skulker, for example, had always existed in the Ghost Zone, a sentient blob thing for as long as he could remember. The more humanoid a ghost looked, however, the greater the chance they had once been alive.

Before Danny could say anything, however, a commotion by the front of the stage interrupted them. Mist had started flowing from the dais, swirling around the excited ghosts. The large amplifiers on the side of the stage began to pulse with the sound of electric guitar.

And then, Ember appeared on stage in a puff of blue smoke. Pinkish-red guitar in hand, she grinned wickedly at the crowd.

"HELLOOOO, Ghost Zone!" she shouted, earning some cheers and whistles. Her grin widened. "Today, we're here to celebrate the Ghost Boy - that annoyingly heroic do-gooder we all love to hate - _Danny Phantom!"_

A few more cheers and applause rippled through the audience as Ember momentarily turned the spotlight on Danny. Danielle - who was cheering the loudest - nudged his side. Danny blushed and gave a small wave.

Ember then struck a chord, bringing everyone's attention back on her. "So tonight, all you punks - you're gonna relax, eat, dance, party, and listen to some ROCKING music!"

The clearing erupted into cheers again, growing louder as Ember and her band played. Mostly their own music but Ember also slipped in some Dumpty Humpty songs, as well a few by Boys of the Fall Out, Powermore, and Michael Jackson. Ghosts mingled and moved together by the stage, creating an impromptu dance floor. Ember's strong, haunting vocals washed over the crowd, energizing them.

Danny watched with a grin before finishing his drink and letting Dani pull him out onto the dance floor. The ghosts parted for him, the man of the hour, shouting at him good-naturedly over the roar of the music. Ember leered down at him from the stage as she sang, but he met it with a smile, and soon she was smiling back. She might even have been blushing, but it was probably just a trick of the lights.

Ember had told them to relax and enjoy the party.

So, for the next few hours, that's exactly what Danny did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a little shorter than I wanted, sorry about that.
> 
> I thought about having an after-party piece where Ember confesses to Danny and he awkwardly turns her down, but then I decided I just wanted to focus on the fun party aspect. This story is supposed to be fun and humorous, showcasing Danny's friendships within the Ghost Zone.
> 
> Also, the bit with Johnny and death was a way of me reconciling the vast array of creatures in the Ghost Zone and the conflicting canon of whether the ghosts are deceased spirits or not.
> 
> Hope you all stay safe and healthy during this time, and may your holidays be merry and bright!


	5. Visitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N - Hello! Hope everyone is staying safe and sane.
> 
> Jazz gets to drive the story this chapter! I'm not sure when this is set in regards to the previous chapters; Danny could be in college already and both kids were home for the weekend, or Jazz is doing summer internship research. You can decide which you like better.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Jazz Fenton stood in her parents' living room, hands on her hips, surveying the items spread out on the couch. Her laptop? _Check_. Video camera and foldable tripod? _Check_. Spiral-bound notebook and extra pens? _Check_. Official Columbia University messenger bag to carry it all, along with her phone, keys, and wallet? _Check_.

Jazz smiled, satisfied, until she felt eyes on her. She turned to see her cousin/adoptive sister, Danielle, standing by the staircase, arms crossed over her chest. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail, making it easy to see her little white skull earrings (a birthday present from Sam earlier this year). She wore black Capris, a dark blue tank top, and a scowl.

"Did you need something, Ellie?" Jazz asked lightly.

"I still think I should come with you," the 15-year-old replied.

Jazz sighed. "Elle, there's no reason for you to come with me," she answered in what she thought was her most patient tone of voice. "We've been over this already."

"No reason? After what he did to you and Jack and Maddie? Bad enough that you're doing this stupid interview, don't do it without some ghostly protection!"

"One, Freakshow is completely human. Two, he's locked up in a secure government facility. And three, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself in the case something does go wrong," Jazz argued.

Dani scoffed. "Secure government facility, sure. The same one he broke out of the last time?"

Jazz threw up her hands. "You know what? We're done with this conversation. I'm going to do this interview, and _you_ are _not_ going to accompany me."

Then, before Dani could reply, Jazz gathered up her supplies, fished her car keys out of her pocket, and walked out the door.

Now, Jazz understood where Dani was coming from. When Jazz's psychology professor and research internship director, Dr. Wheatley, had suggested Jazz do some follow-up research on her ghost envy thesis, the first person she'd thought of was Frederich Isak Showenhower, AKA Freakshow. This thought had surprised her, actually, because the only thing she knew about him was that he ran a gothic circus and was a convicted jewelry thief. But Dr. Wheatley had loved the idea, and managed to get Jazz the access she needed to interview Showenhower at Amity Park Penitentiary.

But when Jazz - home from school one weekend - had mentioned her project at dinner, Danny had freaked out. He'd claimed it would be too dangerous for her to do the interview and begged her to reconsider. After constant badgering from Jazz and Ellie, Danny had finally confessed to them later that night why Freakshow upset him so much: he had once kidnapped the Fentons, the Mansons, and the Foleys and forced them on a roller coaster of death until Danny had tricked him into becoming a ghost himself and captured him in the Fenton Thermos. And then Danny had used Freakshow's so-called "Reality Gauntlet" to rewrite time so nobody but Danny, Sam, and Tucker remembered what happened.

Jazz had been flabbergasted at this explanation (though it _did_ explain the recurring nightmares she had about ghost clowns and a giant roller coaster). Not to mention _furious_ at her brother for messing with her and their parents' memories like that. Danny had looked ashamed at that part, but still insisted that she shouldn't do the interview. Danielle, after hearing that story, had echoed the sentiment.

But Jazz had refused. She wasn't going to let fear, especially over something she couldn't remember, get in the way of her research.

_Besides, Freakshow likes me. We had a bonding moment together._

Jazz paused, hand hovering over the gear shift. Where had _that_ thought come from? Shaking her head, she put it towards the back of her mind. She had to leave now, or else she'd be late.

~~~

Jazz was greatly annoyed, but not altogether surprised, when she pulled up to the black iron gate of Amity Park Penitentiary to see Danielle waiting for her. Her adoptive sister grinned widely and waggled her fingers at her, while the gate security guard looked over Jazz's credentials.

"This girl says she's with you, Ms. Fenton? Your research assistant arriving early?" the guard questioned.

Jazz sighed. Then, plastering on a fake smile, she replied, "Yes, that's right. She's with me, this paperwork should be enough for both of us."

The guard - an elderly black man with a shiny bald head and piercing brown eyes - glanced between Jazz and Dani, seeming skeptical. "She's a little young to be doing research at a university level, isn't she?"

"Advanced Placement," Jazz said smoothly. "You know, for the those _special children_ that colleges like to _keep an eye on."_

The guard nodded slowly, then finally waved them in. He pressed a button on the inside of his control booth, and the gate opened with cranking sound. Danielle opened the front passenger side door and leaped nimbly into the seat. Jazz scowled at her, but drove forward past the penitentiary's gates.

After passing through metal detectors and having a light patdown, Jazz and Dani followed a guard to Freakshow's cell. The man was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and slumped in a simple wooden chair in the middle of the cell. There was little else in there, as this was the visitor cell. Two chairs had been set up for Jazz and Dani in front of the cell.

When Freakshow saw them approach, he immediately straightened. "Why, Miss Fenton!" he exclaimed, mouth stretched into a large grin as he walked up to the bars. "What a delight! When they said I had a visitor, I never imagined it would be you!"

Jazz paused, frowning. Why would he be so excited to see her? Their only interaction had been when he'd held her, her parents, and Sam's and Tucker's families captive, but Freakshow shouldn't be able to remember that. The only thing about Amity Park and Danny Phantom he should recall was the Circus Gothica incident, and Jazz hadn't met him then.

Dani glanced at her, concerned. "You okay?"

Jazz shook her head to clear it. "Yeah. Of course." She adopted a professional smile for Freakshow. "Hello, Mr. Showenhower. As you seem to know already, I'm Jasmine Fenton. The GIW has authorized me to interview you for a research project for Columbia University's Department of Psychology."

"How interesting! Well, I am _happy_ to be of service, especially if it involves chatting with such a beautiful and intelligent young lady. Being stuck in here with all these agents all day every day is _terribly_ boring."

The guard with them, a muscular light-skinned man with brown hair, a bushy mustache, and tinted glasses, frowned at Freakshow. "You'd best be on your best behavior, Freakshow," he growled. "Don't do anything to these ladies you might regret."

"Why, I'd never," Freakshow promised, batting his eyes at the guard. The guard's frown deepened, but he merely nodded at Jazz and Dani before walking back to his post, a few hundred feet from the visitor's cell. They would have some privacy to conduct this interview, but the penitentiary had refused to grant Jazz completely private access to Freakshow.

Once the guard left, Freakshow turned his attention on Dani. "And now who might you be? Bit young to be assisting in a university project, no?"

Dani narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm security detail," she replied tersely. "So you'd better watch yourself, Freakshow. Because _I_ definitely am."

Freakshow laughed. "Well! Such animosity! I'm a simple jewelry thief, my dear. What do you think I'm going to do?"

"Considering you kidnapped my family the last time you broke out of here, I'm not taking any chances," Dani hissed, eyes flashing ghostly green.

"Ellie!" Jazz exclaimed, looking over her shoulder at the guard. What was the point of bringing up that event, when no one here even remembered it?

But then Freakshow, head tilted to the side, replied, "Goodness, and how do you know about that? I thought that event was erased from existence."

Jazz and Dani looked at each other, shocked.

"It...it _was,"_ Jazz told him slowly. "So how do _you_ know about it?"

"Oh my! Did I let something slip I shouldn't have?" Freakshow brought at hand up to his mouth, then grinned before becoming serious once more. "Yes, well, whatever that lucky half-ghost dolt of a brother of yours did with the Reality Gauntlet affected everyone's memory in this place except for mine - why that is, I couldn't tell you. Perhaps vestiges of using the Reality Gauntlet myself, or having been a ghost with its power, prevented me from the mind wipe." He shrugged. "In any case, I'm actually glad we know this about each other now! No need to beat around the bush."

"Yes, well, I suppose that's true..." Jazz replied. After a moment of thought, she admitted, "I don't really remember anything, either, not like you seem to. My brother only told me about it recently. But...when I thought of doing this project, you were the first thing that came to mind." When Freakshow beamed at that news, she added sternly, "But I am here _only_ in a strictly professional, scholarly capacity. You understand?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Whatever you need. Ask away," Freakshow replied, settling himself on the chair in his cell.

Jazz nodded slowly, then began to set up her equipment. She fitted the video camera into the tripod and trained it on Freakshow. Then she got her phone out and opened up a recorder app to catch his every word. Settling herself in one of the chairs, she grabbed her pen and flipped open her notebook. Reluctantly, Dani sat down in the chair next to her.

"Now, Mr. Showenhower - "

"Oh, please, don't be so formal. Call me Freakshow," the man interrupted.

Jazz paused. She had been referring to him as Freakshow in her head, but she didn't want to be recorded saying that. She didn't think it would give her paper the objectivity and credibility it needed. As if sensing this, Freakshow chuckled and said,

"Oh, I'm sorry, is that not professional enough for the world of academia? Very well. Call me Isak then! You can get away with that, can't you?"

Jazz pursed her lips, then nodded. "Alright. Yes. Now, then, Isak. Why don't you tell me about your childhood? Your parents, their occupation, how they treated you. If that's alright."

"Going right for the jugular, aren't you?" Isak's eyes twinkled with glee, and Jazz had to ignore the something twisting uncomfortably in her chest. "Well, my family has a long, complicated history with ghosts - hunting them, studying them. Sometimes serving them, enslaving them at others. My ancestors spent much time and money researching things like anti-ghost plants and artifacts that could control ghosts. Oh, everyone thought they were crazy, of course!" Isak laughed as Jazz's hand zipped across the page, writing everything down; beside her, Dani started shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"And my parents, well, they were just as obsessed with ghosts. I think I was only born so they could have someone to pass their knowledge on to. Oh, and what a plethora of knowledge it is!" Freakshow leaned in, pressing up against the bars. "Ah, but you want to know about my childhood, you say? Well, I was born in 1965 in New York, New York, but we traveled all across the country..."

A couple hours later, as Freakshow was telling a tale about his teen years in Florida, he cut himself off abruptly.

"As much as I've loved having you here, Miss Fenton," he said, "I do wish you'd chosen another day to conduct your interview."

Jazz looked up from her notes and frowned. "Why? What do you mean?"

Suddenly, Danielle stiffened and shuddered before a long blue wisp escaped her mouth. Immediately afterwards, a loud ringing noise erupted in Jazz's ears. Red lights began flashing in the corners of the room and the guards began shouting things at each other. Jazz pulled out the laser lipstick she'd been keeping in her pocket and whirled around, eyes searching frantically for a threat before landing on a tall, green-skinned ghost with spiked hair and covered black tattoos.

Jazz's head began to throb. The ghost seemed so familiar - where had she seen her before? And why was it making her head hurt? The ghost hovered in the air, extending a hand towards Freakshow's cell.

"Ah, well, you see, because this is the day I'm breaking out of jail," Freakshow answered cheerily. "Oh, and I would move to the side if I were you."

Jazz and Dani complied just as the ghost released a blast of green ecto-energy from her hands, obliterating the bars keeping Freakshow trapped. The convict leaped over some rubble, mouth stretched wider than should be humanly possible.

"Cover me," Dani hissed in Jazz's ear. Jazz glanced at the guards, who were all focusing on the enemy ghost, before she wrapped Dani in a tight embrace, practically smothering her. A bright light shone between her arms, and then Dani-with-an-I Phantom was shooting into the air to confront the intruder. The ghost had been nimbly avoiding the prison guards shooting at her, but was unprepared for Dani punching her in the face. The ghost sailed into a wall with a loud metallic _Thud_.

"Lydia!" Freakshow called, stepping towards her. But Jazz trained her laser lipstick on his chest.

"Hold it right there, mister," she growled, trying to ignore the pain in her temples. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the ghost - Lydia - shake herself off and launch back into the air, where she traded more blows with Dani; green ecto-blasts zipped around the room, destroying walls and parts of the floor.

Freakshow seemed surprised, as if he had forgotten Jazz was there. Then his smile returned. "Why, Miss Fenton. You're not really going to hurt me, are you?"

"If I have to," Jazz replied. But then she winced as fresh pain rolled over her. The sudden image of a giant, four-armed green monstrosity flashed before her eyes and she stumbled back. What was that? Another image - she and her family plummeting down the hill of a roller coaster, Danny in his ghost form the only thing between them and a giant break in the track.

A loud _Crack_ sounded above her. A hand on her forehead, Jazz looked up to see an ecto-blast hit the ceiling, which began to crumble. Her eyes widened as chunks of ceiling headed straight towards her, too fast for her to get out of the way -

A hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her forward. Jazz cried out as she smacked into another body, then yelped again as the ceiling crashed to the floor, right where she'd been standing. Her heart slammed against her chest and she could feel a cold sweat on the back of her neck.

"Are you alright, Jasmine?"

Jazz looked up, startled to find herself barely three inches from Freakshow's face. She gasped and jerked away, slipping from his grasp. She looked behind her at the rubble, then back at Freakshow, who was looking at her with what seemed like concern.

"You...you saved me," she said, dumbfounded.

_The sound of her mother's anguished scream echoed in the back of her mind, her parents sobbing after witnessing what they thought was their son's death._

"Yes, I did. I'm actually quite fond of you, you know, Miss Jasmine," Freakshow replied.

Jazz breathed in deepy, trying to calm herself. Her heartbeat was still fast, but slowing down. "Why?" she asked warily.

"Because!" Freakshow exclaimed, suddenly leaning in close, eyes wide. "You were the only one who understood me! The only human I'd ever met who knew what it was like to be _completely overshadowed_ by ghosts. Even my own dear sweet Lydia, she can't understand, not everything - she's a ghost, too, you know."

Jazz took a step back trying to get away from him. She'd dropped her laser lipstick when Freakshow pulled her away from the falling ceiling.

Watching her, Freakshow's voice grew calmer, softer, as he continued, "You have no idea how much that means to me, dear child. And for that, I will give you another gift: I promise that I will leave your family alone, safe and unharmed. They'll have nothing to fear from me. As long as your two ghostly siblings stay away from me, of course," he added.

Jasmine swallowed. "I...how can I trust you to do that?"

"Well, one should never trust a showman on principle, that's true," Freakshow admitted. "But I assure you, my word is good when it comes to this, dear Jasmine." Then he grinned. "Have fun with your ghosts, if you can."

Then he raised his hand and a moment later Lydia swooped down and grabbed it, lifting Freakshow up into the air with her. She made them intangible and then whisked them away through the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N. - I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one! How were Jazz and Freakshow? Did I keep them in character enough?
> 
> I loved the episode/movie "Reality Trip" and thought it opened up a lot of things to explore, including Danny's reality wipe, his classmates' and parents' acceptance of his ghostly form, and - as you might have guessed - Freakshow and his bonding moment with Jazz. I also was intrigued by his relationship with Lydia, which I think is romantic, though he also obviously as some issues with the fact that she's a ghost.
> 
> A really well-written and interesting fic that explores some of Freakshow's family past and ghost-hunting artifacts is a crossover with Beetlejuice called "Say It Thrice" by Bookwormgal on Archive of Our Own. It's pretty long and a bit wordy at times, but it has great worldbuilding, character relationships and growth, and plenty of action.

**Author's Note:**

> I also wanted to explore a few different ideas in here as well, including Danny's possible friendly/frenemy relationship with the more recurring ghosts; a potential Ghost King Danny idea; and the reason why Skulker only ever hunts Danny for being a half-ghost even though he works for Vlad who is also half-ghost.
> 
> Also, because I know Phantom Planet is a contentious topic in the fandom, I wanted to make the timeline as vague as I could - just somewhere between when Danny defeated Pariah Dark ("Reign Storm"), learned the Ghostly Wail (The Ultimate Enemy) and the end of his senior year. Also, I'm more of a Danny/Valerie fan than Danny/Sam but I have nothing specific against Sam or that relationship, so, again, I made it kinda vague.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Constructive criticism, reviews, questions/comments/suggestions welcome!


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